Introduction

In late 2017 the cryptocurrency Bitcoin hit the headlines in a big way. Its value skyrocketed to almost US$20,000 per coin, waking up major news organizations and catching the eyes of would-be investors. Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency, is based on blockchain, a revolutionary new technology. Blockchain, which records transactions in a decentralized way, has begun to change the way we look at money and offers a path to solve old business problems in new ways.

However, with new technologies come new security concerns. Bad actors have already targeted many blockchain implementations using social engineering, malware, and exploits. As additional groups begin using blockchain and building tools around it, they must understand the security risks. In this report we will look at current security problems and specific incidents within blockchain implementations. We will cover bad actors’ techniques, targets, and malware used for attacks.